Monday, August 08, 2011

N is for NoOOOoOoOOoOOOoOOOoooOooo

*wiping tears from my eyes*

I know I have mentioned before, multiple times how thread crochet is just not my thing. It just isn't. I admire those who can create the most delicate works of art from thread time and time again. I know there is a talent there. A high level of patience and talent. Truly - I love to look at what others create - the key word is OTHERS. I'm not saying I can't - I just say I prefer not too. My patience just isn't there 90% of the time.

So as I said in my post yesterday, a friend asked for some help with a thread crochet project. I went and loaded up on some off-white thread and got the magazine she was going to be using. To top it off, I bought a small pattern book because it had some cute doily looking coasters. I need coasters for my new table....

Sunday morning I started off by starting and finishing a simple little crochet dishcloth and thought I'd start with my coasters.

I worked for about three hours and came up with the above image. I really like the petals and how it all works together. I was actually surprised when I looked at the clock and saw just how long I'd been working on it. The pattern seems to work up fast in the sense I didn't get bored with the stitches (not actual time taken).

But I am gonna guess you are wondering what the title of this post has to do with me working on a thread crochet coaster pattern.... this... this is what it has to do with it....

 As I worked my way through round 8 (of 10... I was that close to done) - I laid it out flat and gave it a wee bit of a tug, not much more than I'd be doing to block it.... and the thread in the starting row broke.

Apparently there was a weak spot and the little tug pulled it apart....

All of it - gone.

In my head, I shrieked "NOOOOOoOooOoOOOoOo" like a slow motion scene in a bad movie. My heart sank and I knew I was done. I had to put my hook down and walk away for a moment. I came back to take another look at it and I can honestly say I have no idea how to fix this to where it will look good.

I have had moments when the cat snags my WIP or I see a mistake 3 rows prior that I should have noticed before - all fixable. In that very moment, 3 hours of thread crochet gone.

So I think I'm going to close the pattern book and take a quick break for the day. Perhaps go shopping or something - anything. And come back later to begin my second coaster... which will end up being my first.


Oh well.

Have you, reader, had any of these moments? Had something be gone in the blink of an eye - a lot of work gone?


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This post is part of the Learn Your ABCs with the Accidental Knitter meme. Others are posting their links in the Blog Hub Ravelry Group and the link party is located here (link will be made once available)

23 comments:

Lynda Giambra said...

The coaster came out very nice. That really sucks that happened. So much and and work. I tried using thread years ago and it is not for me either. Too thin, too small a hook. Good luck with the next one.

florencefrazier2002 said...

Oh yes, I have had those moments.  I made a large quantity of Christmas orniments for my coworkers and after I finished blocking and getting them stiff I noticed one that didn't block correctly and as I had stiffened it with glue, I couldn't go back and do anything with it.  It ended up in the trash.  I'm slow when I do those things it would take me at least 4-5 hours to get one done so, I was very discouraged.  Take a break and go back fresh, it will get better!

Natalie Howells said...

Oh no, that's awful :( I only picked up a crochet hook for the first time this weekend, so thread crochet looks pretty amazing to me. I certainly have moments like that with knitting though (especially with lace weight!)

Cris said...

I bet lace weight has the same stereotype as thread crochet *laughs* I have seen it done - again, something I seriously admire whenever I see it.

Cris said...

oh no :( did you get the last one finished in time? It seems like no matter the project, unless you are making something the size of a quarter, thread crochet takes hours.

Cris said...

It was looking pretty darn spiffy but that would not have survived the blocking, I'm sure. I ended up starting on the table runner for my year of projects and I'll come back to the coasters later - I added them to my list so I will definitely have to come back to them later :P

Amy Sessions said...

Oh I have and it's heartbreaking!  I can remember one day when my (at the time) new dog decided that my basket full of Berroco yarn (total cost, $120) that I was using for a project was strewn across my living room like a tangled maze of security beams.  I was in tears!  I had to simply put my dog in his crate and gather up my wool - determined to wind it back.  I was fortunate enough to have not lost any yardage... that day.

shaden lecour said...

Yes, I think we all have had this happen and it is very heartbreaking and demoralizing!

It is a shame and starting over can be daunting but it was looking quite lovely so I do hope you give it another go. 

Kat said...

I've not had this particular incident happen but I think I would feel the same exact way you did. I would get up and walk away from it. I saw somewhere in bloggy land not too long ago about fixing crochet but darned if I can remember where. It's a shame because it's a lovely piece and you were almost done with it.

I have had times when I had to frog something that I'd put a lot of time into, so I know what you are talking about. We all have it happen to us. You did a really good job on it....don't give up!! :o) xoxoxoxo

Napiligal said...

You did such a good job. I am so sorry it all fell apart! Yes, I've been there. Recently I was knitting a sock and was on the 5th row after picking up the gusset and the heel stitches fell off the dpn beyond my ability to pick them up. I had to just walk away for a while (about a week) before I could come back and attack it again.

vikki hooks said...

oops!!!! I love thread crochet..I seem to work better with it than anything else..and yes, my dog took off with a WIP doily..my grandson 2 yr at the time was wringing his hands and saying "Oh No! that is Mama's" I think it really bothered him..he was in tears..The dog..well was in the dog house.

MissHSoo said...

How awful! Sounds like you need a drink :) Especially after all that hard work! Don't despair, thread crochet is so worth it!!!! 

CrochetBlogger said...

That is a really sad story. :(

Abby Normal said...

I think I almost cried for you on that one!
 I had a knitting project going and had just thought to myself " wow this isn't going toooooo bad. I think I may be getting the hang of it." Then from where I don't know, the entire thing started unraveling. So that project was GONE.
 Or when I actually was doing it right my 3 year old seemed to think it was fun to yank my needles out and pull out half my work in a heap and shove it back in my bag. I don't knit anymore. 

florencefrazier2002 said...

Yes, thankfully I did.  Yes it does!  I am planning on trying a knitted lace shawl, I found a lovely yarn at Big Lots that is a 1.00 a skein so I thought I'd give it a try.  I need to go and get more, I only bought two skeins.  Did you figure out a way to fix it?

Cris said...

Oh that sounds really nice (and the yarn is just the right price for me too hehehe). I saw our Big Lots had yarn but I haven't been able to dig through it yet.

And no - I did not figure out a way. I came back and did a few searches but nothing came up that wouldn't show in the final project (a knot)... so I frogged it :(

Cris said...

You recovered it all!?! wow - I would have probably broke down at that point. I know I fume when I find something out of my project basket on the floor - he doesn't even pull it apart like that. I'm glad it ended good though (for you, the yarn, and the dog hehehe)

Cris said...

I will - I am just giving myself a little time before starting those again.

Cris said...

I haven't given up - just taken a break from the coasters hehe

Cris said...

Sadly, I think these types of heartbreaking moments are just part of the craft - it just stinks something fierce when it happens to you.

Ohhhhhh - dpn's are so hard too....I don't blame you for walking away - I probably would have cried!!!!

Cris said...

hahahahaha - that is so cute that even your grandson knows the importance of your projects hehehe I hope you were able to save the doily!

And just so I say it again - I really admire that you enjoy thread crochet - it is SO hard for me but the end product is gorgeous. I have a serious admiration for people who do it daily and thoroughly enjoy it.

Cris said...

I agree its worth it - but why does it have to be so hard? *laughs*

Cris said...

Why did it start unraveling?!?! Oh I would have panicked (seriously novice knitter here lol). I would have been on the yarn group 911 hotline wondering what the dickens was going on. 

Knitting, for me, is not that easy yet, so having stuff like that go on wouldn't make me want to knit either :P

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